Why Is my Water Heater Less Hot In Winter?

Many people believe their Water Heater is Less Hot In Winter. However, this is not the case, the temperature of the water in the water heater is controlled by the thermostat and is heated to the same temperature regardless of the season.

The perception that their Water Heater is Less Hot In Winter is caused by the lower temperatures of the incoming cold water supply during the winter months. Water supplied from reservoirs are more susceptible to seasonal temperature changes than well water and in colder climates may be just above freezing when supplied to the building.

The colder water supply has two effects that make people think their Water Heater is Less Hot In Winter. The first effect is that when people are mixing cold and hot water together to get the desired temperature, they will need to use less cold water in the winter than in the summer to get the desired temperature. The second effect is that the incoming cold water requires the water heater to have to work harder to raise the temperature of the incoming cold water to the set water temperature in the water heater. This can effect the recovery rate of the water heater making less hot water available for your use. This makes people think their Water Heater is Less Hot In Winter even though it isn’t.